Siblings rescued after being found chained to beds

Thirteen siblings have been rescued by police after a number of them were found chained to beds in 'foul-smelling surroundings'.
David Allen and Louise Anna Turpin with their children. Picture: TSPLDavid Allen and Louise Anna Turpin with their children. Picture: TSPL
David Allen and Louise Anna Turpin with their children. Picture: TSPL

A 17-year-old girl called police after escaping from her family’s California home where she and her 12 brothers and sisters were locked up - some so malnourished officers at first believed all were children even though seven are adults.

The girl, who was so small officers initially believed she was only 10, called 911 and was met by police who interviewed her and then went to the family home in Perris, about 70 miles south-east of Los Angeles.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They found several children shackled to their beds with chains and padlocks in the dark, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Read More
Stalker sent undertakers to collect victim's body when she was alive

The children, ages two to 29, “appeared to be malnourished and very dirty”, according to officers who arrested the parents.

David Allen Turpin, 57, and Louise Anna Turpin, 49, each were held on 9 million dollar (£6.5 million) bail and could face charges including torture and child endangerment.

It was not immediately known if they had lawyers.

Neighbours said they were stunned by the arrests. Andrew Santillan, who lives around the corner, heard about the case from a friend.

“I had no idea this was going on,” he told the Press-Enterprise of Riverside. “I didn’t know there were kids in the house.”

Other neighbours described the family as intensely private.

A few years ago, Robert Perkins said he and his mother saw a few family members constructing a Nativity scene in the Turpins’ front yard. Mr Perkins said he complimented them on it.

“They didn’t say a word,” he said.

The Turpins filed for bankruptcy in 2011, stating in court documents that they owed between 100,000 dollars (£72,500) and 500,000 dollars (£362,000), The New York Times reported.

At that time, Mr Turpin worked as an engineer at Northrop Grumman and earned 140,000 dollars (£100,000) annually and his wife was a homemaker, records showed.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Their bankruptcy lawyer, Ivan Trahan, told the Times he never met the children but the couple “spoke about them highly”.

“We remember them as a very nice couple,” Mr Trahan said, adding that Louise Turpin told him the family loved Disneyland and visited often.

Related topics: